The other day, I was talking to an acquaintance of mine about diamonds and Moissanite. He's a graduate of GIA so he is a die-hard diamond fan and if it is up to him, only diamond is appropriate to use for high-jewelry and engagement rings.
He was advising me not to compare diamond with Moissanite because they are completely different gemstones - to which I strongly agree. As I mentioned in one of my Youtube videos, comparing Moissanite to diamond is one thing that I really want to stop but because both gemstones share a lot of similar qualities and properties, jewelers, even consumers can't help but compare Moissanite to diamond all the time. For one thing, diamond has become an automatic choice of gemstone to use for an engagement ring because it's been customary. The majority who are in the hunt for a great deal doesn't have a faint clue of what Moissanite is--but once they learn about Moissanite, they fall in love with this bauble not only because of its far superior optical qualities but also because it is more economical even comparing it to a lab-made diamond.
To make things more understandable and clear, I've laid down a comprehensive overview of lab-made diamond and Moissanite's characteristics and composition:
Lab-Made Diamond vs Moissanite
Origin: Cultured in Laboratories Cultured in Laboratories
Composition: Carbon Silicon and Carbon
Hardness: 10 in Mohs Scale 9.25 in Mohs Scale
Optical Quality: 2.40 Refractive Index 2.65 - 2.69 Refractive Index
Value: $900-1,900 per carat $400 - $690 per carat
depending on grade depending on grade
Colors: Blue, Pink, Yellow, Champagne Vivid Yellow, Green, Dark Brown, Black Blue, Blue/Green, Aquamarine Blue,
Champagne. Gray, Black,
Purple
I know most jewelry fanatics would still insist on diamond even the ones made in laboratories because it has been a tradition and that's all there is to it. They can no longer say they prefer diamond because it is natural or rare. Besides the fact we all know that it is one of the most commonly mined gemstones with tons and tons unearthed every single year, the price point is dictated by a company manipulating the diamond market and not because it is rare.
With the creation of diamonds in laboratories, the perception of it being a status symbol is taken away since it has become more affordable to many. For a person who values sustainability and the environment, the only two reasons left to consider when choosing between a Moissanite and a lab-grown diamond is durability and optical qualities. Granted that diamond is still 0.75 harder than Moissanite, one could ask if an additional $500 to $1,200 for the same size stone is worth the difference. One more thing to consider is that Moissanite is 20% lighter than a diamond. From the perspective of measurement, if 5mm is the average diameter of a 1-carat diamond, a 5mm Moissanite only weighs 0.8carat. This means if you are thinking of getting a loose stone for a 1-carat classic solitaire ring, it will cost you $900 to $1,900 for a lab-made diamond but only $552 for the same size Moissanite.
In terms of optical quality, Moissanite's refractive index is 0.25 to 0.29 better than a lab-made diamond. This means Moissanite surpasses the most sought after physical property of diamond, more than its durability-- and that is its brilliance.
While both gemstones can be created in colors, a lab-made diamond becomes far more expensive with fancy colors ranging from $3,000 to over $15,000 per carat in blue or yellow colors (yes, I am still talking about lab-made diamond) whereas Moissanite's price remains the same at $400 to $690 per carat with any fancy colors you can imagine from Yellow to Purple.
With these facts in mind, you can make a more informed decision on which gemstone to choose when it comes to your next jewelry purchase.
